NEW YORK, Sept. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Green Exchange Holdings LLC (Green Exchange Holdings), a consortium of leading financial and environmental companies, today announced that it has appointed Thomas Lewis as its Chief Executive Officer.

Lewis will lead Green Exchange Holdings' global growth through the creation of an efficient international marketplace for futures and options contracts based on environmental commodities. He will also provide strategic direction for the development of new and unique products to serve these emerging markets.

In addition, Lewis will guide Green Exchange LLC (Green Exchange), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Green Exchange Holdings, through the regulatory process for designation as a designated contract market with the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). The venture will also seek recognition from overseas regulators. Environmental contracts associated with the Green Exchange venture, which currently are listed for trading and clearing by NYMEX, include futures and options contracts on European Union Allowances, Certified Emission Reductions allowances, Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative carbon allowances, and U.S. nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide allowances.

"Tom Lewis has extensive experience in emerging environmental and energy markets such as electricity, renewable energy, carbon, and emissions trading," said Nancy King, chairperson of Green ExchangeHoldings. "He brings a unique understanding of how to successfully build and scale up new business models in both the broker-dealer and the environmental sectors."

Lewis has served as chief executive of both Ameritrade and Automated Power Exchange, Inc. (APX). At Ameritrade, he led the development of one of the leading retail equity on-line trading platforms. At APX, Lewis created a pioneering infrastructure provider for environmental and energy markets in renewable energy and greenhouse gases.

Previously, Lewis also served as executive in residence and assistant professor of environmental finance at the Carey Business School of the Johns Hopkins University, and a director of New York-based environmental and energy services firm, Evolution Markets, Inc. He also served as the director of technology in the Executive Office of the President in the Reagan Administration, for which he received the highest civilian award, the Distinguished Service Award of the Office of Administration.

"Green Exchange Holdings has an opportunity to shape the future of trading environmental products by creating a globally integrated marketplace," said Lewis. "It will enable market participants to gain exposure to environmental markets and manage their risk through a diversified product slate. I look forward to this challenge."